Oregon Wildlife Foundation
$50,000

Construction of a wildlife underpass would provide safe passage for frogs moving between these two areas, decreasing vehicle-related mortality while increasing the size of this population with the aim of maintaining this population into the future. The next step in constructing an underpass is initiating a feasibility study. This study will detail where an underpass can be constructed given topography, land ownership, and geotechnical constraints, outline a design that encourages Northern Red-Legged Frogs (Rana aurora, RAAU) use and survival, and have preliminary Oregon Department of Transportation approval. A wildlife underpass is a long-term solution that provides high conservation outcomes for RAAU (one of top five ODFW Wildlife Priority Strategy Species for the Willamette Valley ecoregion) and increases habitat connectivity and migratory access between Forest Park and Harborton Wetland, both of which lie within Conservation Opportunity Areas of the Oregon Conservation Strategy.

Project Report